Photovoltaic modules include an active portion that captures sunlight and converts sunlight into electricity. The active portion may be part of a composite of materials. A connector extends from the active portion so that an electrical connection, a mechanical connection, or both may be made. The connector during the manufacturing process may be misaligned, moved, bent, damaged, or a combination thereof by contact with one or more components of the manufacturing process such that the active portion cannot be used. The connector may form a cantilever connection with the active portion so that during removal of the active portion from the machinery and/or transportation the connectors may be damaged. Moreover, the connector may have a predetermined attachment location so that polarity of the connections are properly aligned and each of the connectors need to be attached in a specific location, in a specific configuration, or both.
Typically, photovoltaic arrays are placed in an elevated location such as a roof top of a home or a building or in a rack and frame that elevates the photovoltaic array so that the photovoltaic array is exposed to sunlight. Each of these photovoltaic modules in order to get them to a roof top or elevated location are moved to the roof top or elevated location and then moved along the roof top or elevated location and into position, typically by one or more people carrying the modules, which may result in one or more of the connectors becoming damaged, bent, or unable to perform their connection function. Each photovoltaic module is then secured to the elevated location directly to a roofing structure and/or indirectly by a connection structure such as a rack and frame so that a photovoltaic array is formed. Each photovoltaic module of the photovoltaic array includes an active portion and the active portions of two or more photovoltaic modules may be placed in close proximity with one another so that a photovoltaic array is formed by connecting each of the photovoltaic modules together.
In cases where the photovoltaic modules provide roofing functions (i.e., building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)), the photovoltaic modules may include both an active portion and a support portion and the active portion of one photovoltaic module may fully and/or partially cover the support portion of an adjacent photovoltaic module to replace the framing and racking structure. In cases of building integrated photovoltaics, the support portion may provide roofing functions or structural functions for subsequent photovoltaic modules. The support structures of a roof may not have consistent flatness or strength due to variations in fabrication and/or age of the roof, and the shape of the roof may vary over time due to movement and/or aging of the foundation and/or roofing structure. At some point over the life of the photovoltaic array, the home owner, a repair person, an installer, or a combination thereof may be required to walk across the photovoltaic array. As the individual walks across the photovoltaic array, each individual photovoltaic module may bend and flex due to the variations in strength and/or flatness of the support structures, which may result in the photovoltaic module, a connector, or both bending enough so that the photovoltaic module, connector, or both are damaged. This weight and variation in strength may bend, crack, misalign, or a combination thereof connectors that connect the photovoltaic modules so that the connectors are not able to perform the mechanical and/or electrical connections to be formed. It would be attractive to have a photovoltaic module which has a connector that is resistant to damage from manufacturing movement, installation movement, or installed movement. It would be attractive to have a photovoltaic module where the cantilever connection of the connector is supported so that the geometry of the connector is maintained. It would further be attractive to have an integrated frame that supports the connector and has an asymmetrical configuration so that the header connector is connected correctly to the photovoltaic module.
Examples of some photovoltaic modules may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,735; 8,631,614; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0271773; 2010/0180523; and International Patent Application No. WO2011/019886; and Chinese Patent Nos. CN202839678U and CN202332933U all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes. It would be attractive to have a device that assists in attaching a connector to the photovoltaic module. It would be attractive to have a device that mirrors the shape of all or a portion of a connector and especially a clip of a connector. What is needed is a feature of an integrated frame such as a pocket that accommodates a clip of a connector so that the clip is accommodated and the connector is flush within the integrated frame. What is needed is a device that prevents the connector and a clip of the connector from being separated, the clip from being dislodged from the connector, or both. What is needed is a disengagement opening that allows access to the clip within the connector so that the clip and connector can be separated.